Tom Ridge confesses to torture

[Glenn Beck]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7903516.stm?lss

Of course you won't hear this phrasing in the news.

Correct me if I'm wrong people, but torture isn't just "wrong", it's a crime under international law. The US is a signatory to these international laws that say "torture isn't just wrong, it's a crime" and thus has a legal obligation to enforce them. Our esteemed director of Homeland Security comes out and publicly states that his organization under his jurisdiction is guilty of torture and that he is aware of this and offers some half-assed apology.

Wtf?

Am I just fundamentally wrong here and international "law" are really just international "guidelines" and violating them doesn't mean anything? Or are all these international institutions that are brave enough to condemn the United States' wicked torture schemes too chicken-shit to actually do something and press charges?

[elux]

Of course you won't hear this phrasing in the news.

Correct me if I'm wrong people, but torture isn't just "wrong", it's a crime under international law. The US is a signatory to these international laws that say "torture isn't just wrong, it's a crime" and thus has a legal obligation to enforce them. Our esteemed director of Homeland Security comes out and publicly states that his organization under his jurisdiction is guilty of torture and that he is aware of this and offers some half-assed apology.

Wtf?

Am I just fundamentally wrong here and international "law" are really just international "guidelines" and violating them doesn't mean anything? Or are all these international institutions that are brave enough to condemn the United States' wicked torture schemes too chicken-shit to actually do something and press charges?
I agree abou the international " guidelines" and everything else. The pentegon just relsed a report saying gitmo was humane. Tourtre isint just worng it is a crime.

[Cumannach]

Torture and human rights violations are the norm for political police forces and bourgeois terrorist organisations, and always have been. FBI, Crime.In.Action, US military intelligence can't ply their trade without committing crimes.

[leggy leftist]

Torture has always been part and parcel of our military imperialism. However, the Bush administration was the first one to sanction it overtly from the executive branch.

Looks like Obama plans to continue some of those policies as well.

[Lynx]

Both torture and hypocrisy should be crimes. The US does not recognize the International Criminal Court, and they would selectively ignore it even if they did.

[brigadista]

The problem with international human rights instruments and their enforcement is that the enforcement reflects the prevailing hegemony.

If you take the international criminal court as an example look at who is being tried there and where they are from..

[ComradeR]

Looks like Obama plans to continue some of those policies as well.

For example his administration recently ruled that the policies that have been practiced at Bagram will continue. Also they are planing a $60m expansion which will double the size of the camp, change indeed.
As things stand the US empire will never be held accountable for it's crimes. Those who care are powerless to do anything, and those that have the power to do something don't care.